This invention relates to a lazy susan shelf assembly and particularly a molded polymeric lazy susan shelf with special fence adaptation and unique strength characteristics.
There are three basic types of lazy susan shelf arrangements used in closed cupboard spaces, namely, the full round type, the kidney type, and the pie-cut, pass-through type. The full round type uses circular shaped shelves which are independent of the cabinet door or doors. The kidney type is also independent of the cabinet door, but is shaped with a recess at a circumferential location to accommodate the doors projecting radially inwardly of the shelf. This recess can cause the shelf to resemble a kidney, hence the name; although in recent years the recess has sometimes resembled a pie-cut. The pie-cut, pass-through type also has a recess, typically shaped like a cut piece of pie, to which is attached the door or doors which form part of the actual cupboard, so that the door passes through the opening in the cupboard when the lazy susan is revolved, hence the name pass-through.
The use of an upstanding fence attached to a lazy susan shelf is well known from prior commercial products. Fences have been used on wood lazy susan shelves for many years, either to separate portions of the shelf and/or to circumferentially encompass the shelf and thereby increase its effective height for retaining products on the shelf. Fences have also been used on polymeric lazy susan shelves in more recent years. These fences are typically clipped onto the shelf, or fence posts are inserted into holes drilled into the wood or plastic, and fence wires connected to the posts. There have been some difficulties in attaching fences in an exact, predetermined location, attaching such easily and yet securely to the shelf units.
Another concern with polymeric lazy susan shelves is that of achieving sufficient strength to accommodate loads a substantial distance from the center post, i.e., to prevent bowing and/or buckling of the shelf. It is common practice to employ radially extending support ribs on the underside of polymeric shelves for strength. However, there is a practical limit in the size and thickness of these ribs.